How do you set your goals when you are pregnant?

joilet
joilet Posts: 99
I set my goal to maintenance, because obviously, I don't want to be losing.
But they say you should eat 300 more calories per day when you are pregnant.

Seems to me that this should be different at different stages of the pregnancy.
1st trimester I probably don't need to be eating 300 more.

Any suggestions?

Replies

  • Personally dont track you should be thinking of baby and not counting calories. Just eat wise
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
    Ask your doctor.
  • loadedwords
    loadedwords Posts: 16 Member
    From my maternity nursing textbook:

    "During the first trimester of pregnancy, no added calories are needed. However, the caloric intake for adolescent and adult pregnant women should increase by 340 calories during the second trimester and 452 calories during the third trimester (Institute of Medicine, Food, and Nutrition Board, 2002a)."
    (McKinney, Emily Slone. Maternal-Child Nursing, 3rd Edition. W.B. Saunders Company, 102008. p. 301).
    <vbk:9781416058960#outline(15.4.2.3)>

    Congratulations! Hope this helps.
  • MzFury
    MzFury Posts: 283 Member
    Exactly - doctor (and/or nurse-midwife) will advise. Focus on the quality of your food and avoid things they tell you to avoid... Move around within their guidelines. Congratulations on the new addition, too.
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
    If you're at a healthy weight, you need no additional calories in the first trimester, about 300 extra calories a day in the second trimester, and about 450 extra calories a day in the third trimester.

    http://www.babycenter.com/eating-for-two

    But really, just eat a balanced diet and you'll be fine. I wouldn't stress over counting calories during pregnancy.
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    discuss it with your OB. explain the site, and see what he thinks, as far as a coment about dont track i dissagree, more than dieting this site can help you tell if you are getting enough of the right things for baby.
    this site can be a fantastic tool for nutrion while pregnant. or make a mirror site MPP
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    Yeah, I wouldn't be worried about losing weight while pregnant. You gain weight for a reason. It's cushion for the baby and helps balance you out so you don't fall on your stomach. And your baby needs all the nutrients it can get while growing.

    I do agree that using this site to track your foods and make sure you are eating healthy is a good thing to do. That's how I started on this.
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    Personally dont track you should be thinking of baby and not counting calories. Just eat wise

    counting calories can go both ways not to get too much and to get enought. also you do not want to raise your cals to much with pregnacy, as overeating to much can cause complications with baby
  • UGH!!!
    This is so frustrating.

    I swear, some people don't even read the post! They saw the title (set your goals while pregnant) and ASSUMED I'm trying to lose weight.
    I'm not an idiot!

    I said I want to know how to set the goals in MPP to accomodate the extra calories I am supposed to eat while pregnant. Because I want to make sure I'M EATING THE EXTRA CALORIES I NEED.
    but being pregnant isn't a free pass to eat anything you want. Tracking food here is a way to be sure I'm getting enough of the proper nutrition. - Hence why I set my goal to maintenance (not to lose.)

    Geez people.
    Don't go jumping to conclusions.
  • gonnareachmygoal
    gonnareachmygoal Posts: 14 Member
    I used babyfit.com while pregnant to make sure I was eating healthy and getting all the correct amount of nutrients and calories.
  • I'm with Joilet-- there should be a setting for us pregnant ladies. Like Joilet, I'm not obsessing over calories or trying to lose weight. I'm trying to make sure I eat ENOUGH and that my nutrients are on track. It would be fabulous if MFP made a setting for us. Is there any way to tell the developers that?
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